


The Ghost in the (Copy) Machine

by StellarLibraryLady



Series: Library Antics [7]
Category: Original Work
Genre: Coincidences, Copiers, Copy Machines, Gen, Humor
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-15
Updated: 2016-08-15
Packaged: 2018-08-09 00:49:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 460
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7780405
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/StellarLibraryLady/pseuds/StellarLibraryLady
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A new copy machine in the library plays tricks on the library workers.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Ghost in the (Copy) Machine

**Author's Note:**

> A thank you to the late Arthur Koestler for the use of the title of his 1967 book "The Ghost in the Machine."

The Library got a different printer near the front desk several years ago, and it quickly turned into a maverick. Some of the librarians even suspected that it was a juvenile playing pranks. For a while it would casually run off copies, whether it was asked for those copies or not. It particularly loved to snatch obscure items from Kayla’s files and present them to her. Sometimes Kayla had nearly forgotten about a certain file; it was that obscure. Apparently, the machine thought the file needed to be aired off just for old time’s sake. 

Kayla sat with her back to the copy machine. Norene wondered if the machine was trying to psych Kayla out, or it just wanted to let Kayla know that she was being watched.

One day Ariel and Norene were up front by themselves. A major holiday was looming in a couple of weeks, and Ariel remarked that she needed to design announcements for the holiday’s closing and run off those copies to post in the library to notify patrons.

She had no more made that statement when the new copy machine whirred into action and spit out a copy. Ariel and Norene looked at each other in amazement for they were the only employees in the building at the moment. Nobody was in back to press the Print button to make a copy. And they both knew that neither one of them had pressed a Print button.

Thinking that the maverick machine had grabbed a file at random to copy, Ariel looked the paper over. It was a notice for holiday closings for the holiday coming up. And, it was for the right year! That really got Ariel and Norene’s eyes looking wild.

Ariel said that she needed a second copy to post. A moment later the machine whirred to life and spit out a second copy of the correct information. By this time, though, both ladies were ready to vacate the premises as the copy machine was plainly taking over.

Norene wanted to know if Ariel had the machine on voice command. Ariel was probably wondering about her powers, too. 

Later the library workers learned that a worker in a branch library in a nearby town had been trying to make copies of the same holiday closings and couldn’t get her copier to respond. For some reason, the command came to the new copier at the main branch. Ariel and Norene were happy to hear of a logical solution of the mysterious copies, but they’ve always wondered how Kayla could sit with that copier behind her back.

Tim just wishes that he had been there to see the faces of his co-workers when the new copy machine began making correct copies on voice command!

**Author's Note:**

> I own nothing of Arthur Koestler's works.


End file.
